- Aug 16, 2010
- 14
- 0
- 22
Hello
I was hoping you could give me some advice on what to do for my chicken. Here are the answers to the questions is the sticky.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Buff Orpington hen, about 2 years old, seems as large and nearly as heavy as the others, no obvious wt loss
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Lethargic, won't stand more than 10-15 sec before laying down. When you pick her up, she feels weak (ie doesn't strain against your arms as the healthy chickens do). Right now is lying down, with eyes closed.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Noticed it yesterday, so between 24-48 hours.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No everyone else is acting normally.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No, nothing that I have found.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She normally eats organic layer pellets supplemented with our food scraps and black oiled sunflower seeds. Now she is eating and drinking nothing on her own.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Runny with very little white (I only know this because she pooped on my jeans
and there was just a wet spot, no white)
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Isolated her from the other chickens. Cooked some oatmeal, mixed in olive oil and cottage cheese a few sunflower seeds and hand fed her this am. She probably at 2T. Fed her some water also.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I am hoping to treat this myself, or at least get some advice on what it may be.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Coop housing 4 chickens with pine shavings, roost, external nest box and free access to layer pellets and food. Large windows for ventilation. Coop is attached to 4' x 10' fenced tractor. In the past when I have changed their shavings, I dust with DE, but haven't done that since the fall.
Additionally...I felt her crop, and it felt very empty and loose, so that is why I began hand feeding her. Felt over her abdomen, and don't feel any eggs. Put my gloved pinky in her vent and don't feel any eggs. Her comb is red, and her breathing sounds normal (not wheezing). Gave her a good once over and don't find any injuries, or bleeding or anything that looks unusual.
When she stands, she stands still (no wobbling) then just kind of sits after 10-15 sec, then (sometimes) after a bit, her head will tip forward and rest on the ground. She just seems to have a great weakness and lethargy. No pecking, scratching, preening, or talking.
Any ideas what it might be, or what more I might try?
Thank you in advance for your advice and opinion.
Chris
I was hoping you could give me some advice on what to do for my chicken. Here are the answers to the questions is the sticky.
1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.)
Buff Orpington hen, about 2 years old, seems as large and nearly as heavy as the others, no obvious wt loss
2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Lethargic, won't stand more than 10-15 sec before laying down. When you pick her up, she feels weak (ie doesn't strain against your arms as the healthy chickens do). Right now is lying down, with eyes closed.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms?
Noticed it yesterday, so between 24-48 hours.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No everyone else is acting normally.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
No, nothing that I have found.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
No idea.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
She normally eats organic layer pellets supplemented with our food scraps and black oiled sunflower seeds. Now she is eating and drinking nothing on her own.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Runny with very little white (I only know this because she pooped on my jeans
and there was just a wet spot, no white)9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Isolated her from the other chickens. Cooked some oatmeal, mixed in olive oil and cottage cheese a few sunflower seeds and hand fed her this am. She probably at 2T. Fed her some water also.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I am hoping to treat this myself, or at least get some advice on what it may be.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Coop housing 4 chickens with pine shavings, roost, external nest box and free access to layer pellets and food. Large windows for ventilation. Coop is attached to 4' x 10' fenced tractor. In the past when I have changed their shavings, I dust with DE, but haven't done that since the fall.
Additionally...I felt her crop, and it felt very empty and loose, so that is why I began hand feeding her. Felt over her abdomen, and don't feel any eggs. Put my gloved pinky in her vent and don't feel any eggs. Her comb is red, and her breathing sounds normal (not wheezing). Gave her a good once over and don't find any injuries, or bleeding or anything that looks unusual.
When she stands, she stands still (no wobbling) then just kind of sits after 10-15 sec, then (sometimes) after a bit, her head will tip forward and rest on the ground. She just seems to have a great weakness and lethargy. No pecking, scratching, preening, or talking.
Any ideas what it might be, or what more I might try?
Thank you in advance for your advice and opinion.
Chris
